Storage bin, including conveyer for moving stored products within the bin



June 1, 1954 Q F|E| D 2,679,953

STORAGE BIN, INCLUDING CONVEYER FOR MOVING STORED PRODUCTS WITHIN THEBIN Filed July 8, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet l FIG. l.

' lNvEN-roR CROSBY F//s/.a BY .Bam ML M.

.ATTORNE 5 June I, 1954 C, |=|E| D 2,679,953

STORAGE BIN, INCLUDING CONVEYEIR FOR MOVING STORED PRODUCTS WITHIN TI-IEBIN Filed July 8, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 2.

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24 FIG. 3.

ATTORNEYS June l, 1954 C, D

STORAGE BIN, INCLUDING OONVEYER FOR MOVING STORED PRODUCTS WITHIN THEBIN 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 8, 1948 -44a lNvENToR CROSBY F/ELD BYfmw; ATTORN YS FIG. 5f 7.4

C. FIELD June l, 1954 STORAGE BIN, INCLUDING CONVEYER FOR MOVING STOREDPRODUCTS WITHIN THE BIN Filed July 8, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG. 9.

INVENTOR CROSBY F/ELD ahw? fv/Afw( ATTORNEY FIG.

Patented June 1, 1954 STORAGE BIN, INCLUDING CONVEYER FOR MOVING STOREDPRODUCTS WITHIN THE BIN Crosby Field, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application July 8, 1948, Serial No. 37,710

14 claims. 1

This invention relates to storage bin constructions and moreparticularly to constructions wherein supplies of a dry, or relativelydry, product can be contained and preserved and from which the productcan be withdrawn upon demand in carefully regulated amounts as desired.The present invention is an improvement, in certain respects, upon myprevious invention described and claimed in Patent No. 2,222,024. Thepresent improvement will be described in relation to a construction forstoring particles of ice but, as will be appreciated by those skilled inthe art, it has general application to the storage and ultimate deliveryof other products.

The invention of my above-mentioned patent has given excellentsatisfaction in commercial practice. There are some instances, however,where a more precise and continuously even control of ice flow at thepoint of delivery from the bin is desirable. One object of the presentinvention is to provide a storage bin construction from which ice orother suitable product may be supplied in a continuously even ow.Another object is the provision of equipment for storing ice, or thelike, wherein the ice may be accumulated and stored for an indefiniteperiod of time and wherewith it is possible and efficient to demand andreceive automatically either a small amount, a large amount, or someintermediate amount, as desired. A further object is to provide icestoring equipment which will overcome certain of the disadvantagesinherent in the commercial and prior art constructions heretofore known.Other objects will be in part pointed out as the description proceedsand will in part become apparent therefrom,

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction,combinations of elements, methods of operation, and arrangements ofparts as will be exemplified in the structure and sequences and groupsof related steps to be hereinafter described and the scope of theapplication of which will be set forth in the accompanying claims.

In this specification and the accompanying drawings I have shown anddescribed a preferred embodiment of my invention and suggested variousmodifications thereof; but it is to be understood that these are notintended to be exhaustive nor limiting of the invention, but on thecontrary are given for purposes of illustration in order that othersskilled in the art may fully understand the invention and the principlesthereof and the manner of applying it in various forms, each as may bebest suited to the conditions of a particular use.

In the drawings.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary storage bin constructionembodying my invention with parts broken away and parts in section;

Figure 2 is a sectional plan View of the bin construction shown inFigure 1.

Figure 3 is a side elevation, taken along the section line 3 3 of Figure2 in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view, on an enlarged scale, of a supportingframe and related members forming a part of the construction shown inFigure 1;

Figure 5 is a View similar to that of Figure 4 but showing a modifiedform of supporting frame assembly;

Figure 6 is a sectional view, taken along the line 6-6 of Figure 4 inthe direction of the arrows;

Figure 7 is a sectional view, taken along the line l-l of Figure 5;

Figure 8 is an exploded perspective view of an assembly including a partof an end gate, as will be described, over which ice particles aredelivered when called for;

Figure 9 is a cross-sectional elevation taken through a fragmentaryportion of the end gate;

Figure l0 shows the parts illustrated in Figure 9 but in anotherrelationship assumed under certain operating conditions; and

Figure 11 is a fragmentary elevational view, on an enlarged scale, of apower supply unit forming a part of the illustrative form.

In Figure 1, a storage bin construction is generally indicated at 2E)based upon a oor 22 and provided with side walls 24 and end walls 26. Inthe embodiment shown, the floor is of concrete and side walls 24 and endWalls 26 preferably are of self-supporting material having insulatingproperties. The bin is provided with an insulating ceiling 28 whereinsupply openings may be included, as disclosed in my above-mentionedpatent. The bin interior is fitted with an airtight lining 30 spacedfrom the side walls and from the door by appropriate framing to form,together with floor 22 and walls 24 and 2S, an enclosed space in whichrefrigerating coils 32 are disposed. Lining 30 preferably is of heatconductive material such as sheet metal so that the interior of thestorage bin can efliciently be maintained at a temperature at which theice particles will remain dry and hard.

Near each end of the storage bin `there is provided a partition (seeFigure 2), identified on the left by the numeral 34 and indicated on theright by numeral 3G. Thus, as appears in Figure 2, the insulatingcompartment in which the ice particles are stored includes bottom 22, apair of opposing side walls 24, and opposing end partitions 3-3 and 3%.Generally speaking, ice will be supplied for storage through an openingin the ceiling in a manner such, for one example, as disclosed in myaforementioned patent. Depending upon the rate'of the supply of ice tothe storage compartment and the rate of withdrawal therefrom, thesurface of the ice on hand may reach substantially tothe top or may beat a somewhat lower level. In.order" to'enable an automatic and evendelivery of ice in such quantity as desired I provide a conveyingarrangement now to be described.

Across the ice storage compartment; in a position such as to coincidewith the surface of the ice, there extends a screw conveyor 3E* (seeFigures l and 3) carried upon a conveyor sleeve 4G. Sleeve d is itselfrotatably carried. upon a shaft; coaxially disposed. therewithin.Conveyorand sleeve. 4i! are caused to rotate upon shaft-742 by mechanismto be described hereinafter. It will be appreciated, however, that whenthe conveyor turns clockwise, as viewed in Figure l, ice in contact withthebladesV of the conveyor will be moved toward and pushed over thetopgedgeof .partition 34.

So that ice will at all times be availablel in quantity to the conveyorblades, I provide for a sidewise component of movement for the conveyorasa whole, with .the result that as it'pushes ice over the end partitionit slowly moves across the surface and top portion of the bulk of theiceinstorage, from one side'of the compartment to the other. In theillustrative form the conveyor always is parallel. to the sidewalls 2liand as it moves from one side wall to the other it removes a top layerof ice from the bulk in storage. and pushes it in an even, continuoussupply into the space at the end of the compartmentV between partition3d land adjacent wall 26 (see Figure 2). And, when a pass once acrossthe; compartment hasbeen made, then, bymeans about to be described, theconveyor assumes a positionspaced somewhat below the level of the passjust completed and proceeds to make a return pass across thecompartment, delivering ice at va `constant rate all the while.

Shaft 42 extends beyond each end of conveyor sleeve mandat each endextensionis fitted with a mangle wheel 44 and a roller le (see alsoFigures 4 and 6). In a planel generally parallel to end partition 34(see Figures l and 2) there is provided a mangle rack 48 with whichmangle wheel 44 cooperates and a track 50 on which roller 46 issupported. Rack 48 and track 50 follow a serpentine path (see Figure 4)and are carriedupon a pair of vertically disposed frame pieces 52.`As-shown in Figure 4mangle rack 48 incorporates a series of parallelpins which are bolted in iixed relationship adjacent to the path formedby track 50. A correspondingly similar rack` andtrack is providedadjacent partition 36 for supporting and guiding the other end of theconveyor assembly.

As rollers t5 roll upon track 5G, shaft.42 is maintained in a horizontalposition extending across the ice compartment and moves in a series oftraverses from one side edge thereof to the other.v Inso moving, screwconveyor 38 is caused to travel from one side ofthe-ice compartment tothe other. The serpentine construction of track 50 is such that when.the rollers de have 7 reached one side of the ice compartment theyexecute a reverse turn through 180 (see Figure 4) and proceed downwardlyand then horizontally again back across the lowered surface of the ice.As will be described hereinafter, the translatory movement of shaft 42is eifected by a force of rotation applied to the shaft. This forcereacts through mangle wheel i4 and mangle rack 48" to feed the conveyorsidewise and downwardly. The direction of rotation of the mangle wheelremains constant during ice feeding. Accordingly, at Ythe left end (seeFigure 4) of' a horizontal pass or traverse across the ice the wheelpivotsrbeyond and around and below a single end pin of rack 48. At theright-hand end of 'the pass the wheel follows inside of the pins asvthey delinea-te" a 180 arc tangentially joining thepath of the pass justcompleted with the pathpf'the pass next to be executed.

As an alternative to the mangle wheel-mangle rack embodimentabove-described I have shown in Figures 5 and 7 a gear and rackconstruction for performing the same functions. Corresponding parts areidentified by corresponding reference characters with the exception thatto each reference character on the alternative form an a has been added.

From the foregoing it will be observed that as ice feeding proceeds thedisposition of he conveyor assembly becomes progressively lower. Inorder to accommodate the end partitions 34 and 36 to this method ofoperation I have made the partitions collapsible as will now bedescribed.

As shown in Figure 3, each end of sleeve 48'is carried in abearing-construction 54 forming a part of a pedestal 56 and thepedestals 55 support a pair of rails (see Figure l) indicated at 58`.These rails are incorporated at each end into a translator/bearingassembly Gil resting upon the upper portion of a pedestal 5B. Bearingassemblies BD are disposed around and slidable upon a pair of translatorbeams 62, one of which is disposed at each end of the ice storagecompartment above end partitions 34 and 3S respectively (see Figure 2).Each translator beam 62 serves as a top support from which depends aseries of imbricate partition plates 54, 56, 68, l0 and 12, which seriesof plates together form at each vend of the ice storage compartment thepartitions 34 and 36.

Figures l, 9` and l0 show how each partition plate is provided acrossits bottom portion with a liange T4. Plate E6 is suspended from plate.Gllby means of headed bolts, one of which appears at 'I6 in Figure 9,Ywhich pass downwardly through holes in the flange Ni fixed to plate64,' and thence through aligned holes in the flange 'M forming a part ofplate 68. The lower end of each bolt'l is provided with a nut 18.'Similarly, plate E8 is suspended from plate 6B by headed'bolts 76 andnuts 'i3 extending fromthe flange T4 on the bottom of plate Si) to thenange ld on the ybottom of vplate 58. This construction is such thatpartitions 34, 3c formed by the imbricate plates are progressivelycollapsible, and one plate can move with respect to the next, as shownin Figure l0.

The uppermostplate is provided at each of its sides' withy an upwardlyextending elongated guide shoe which is slidably positioned in avertically disposed guide slot S2 formed in the adjacent side wall ofthe storage compartment (see Figure'8). Thus the guide shoe Si) at eachendofplate 64 enables the plate to slide vupwardly and downwardly withinslots 82 without any tendency toward jamming. Each guide shoe 8|) isprovided with a pair of rollers 84 and 88 (see Figure 8). These rollerscooperate with a vertically extending rail S8 aligned adjacent to theguide slots 82. Thus, in addition to the guiding effect of shoes 88 inslots 82, the rollers 8'4 and 86 with the vertical rails 88 furtherfacilitate free up and down movement of carrying plate 84. Each of thedepending partition plates 86, 68, 10 and '|2 is provided, respectively,at each of its sides with a pair of upwardly projecting, elongated guideshoes 98, 92, 94 and 98. These shoes cooperate, respectively, with pairsof guide slots 98, |88, |82, |04 vertically disposed in the adjacentcompartment side walls.

Plates B4 are thus enabled freely to move up and down in their verticalplanes at each end of the ice compartment following the movements oftranslator beams 82. And as plates 64 so move the imbricate partitionplates depending therefrom also freely move in their respective guideslots. As shown in Figure 3, a plate sump |83 is provided beneathpartitions 34 and 3S so as to form spaces into which the plates maydescend in making clearance for the conveyor as the conveyor proceeds todeliver ice from surface portions of the stored pile. It will beappreciated, of course, that the vertical position of plate 84 at anytime depends upon the vertical position of translator beam S2 and, asillustrated in Figure l, the position of translator beam S2 depends uponthe vertical location of bearing assembly lEll carried above the screwconveyor.

It is necessary to supply power to the conveyor assembly in order toperform the ice feeding previously described. One way of accomplishingthis is as follows: As shown herein in Figure 1l, rails 58 extend beyondtranslator beam 82 to form a support for a power unit frame indicated at|88. Frame |88 carries a plate ||8 below which is suspended a reversibleelectric motor v| I2. Motor ||2 drives through a flexible coupling ||4to a speed reducer H3. The output of speed reducer IIS is to a pulley||8 and then through a double sprocket chain |28 to an intermediatepulley |22 along with an idler |24 maintaining the endless sprocketchain in driving tension. Pulley |22 is carried upon and drives an inputjackshaft |28 which feeds into a second speed reducer |28. A pinion @|38is carried upon input jackshaft I 28 and meshes with a conveyor gear |32in driving relationship with the end of screw conveyor sleeve 48. Thus,power is transferred from motor l2 to the screw conveyor 38. The outputof the second speed reducer |28 is to output jackshaft |34, upon whichis carried a pinion |38 meshed with a conveyor shaft gear I 38 carriedupon shaft 42. Thus power is transferred from motor ||2 to shaft 42 andthen to mangle wheel 44 as described above.

In one form which the invention has taken motor ||2 is a three H. P.1200 R. P. M. motor. The useful output of this motor is approximately1160 R. P. M. The reduction effected by speed reducer ||8 is at a ratioof 4.14 to 1, so thatthe resulting output at pulley ||8 is approximately281 R. P. M. The relationships among the sprocket chain and pulleys aresuch that the input to shaft |26 is approximately 154 R. P. M. and thespeed of conveyor sleeve 48, and accordingly of conveyor 38, isapproximately 31 R. P. M The reduction ratio of speed reducer |28 isapproximately 40 to 1, so that with the added effect of gears |36 and|38, shaft 42 is caused to make somewhat less than one R. P. M.

The ice delivered over the edge of the plate 64 bythe screw conveyorfalls into a sump (see Figure l) indicated at |48 in which is disposed asecond screw conveyor |42. By using conventional electrical controls forthe motors driving the two screw conveyors, the two conveyors arecoordinated. In the majority of installations one of my storage binconstructions will be installed beneath one or more of the ice makingmachines of the type referred to in my abovementioned patent so that theice product is continuously supplied to the top of the quantity of icein the storage bin. Where my ice storage bin is associated with acontinuously operating ice making machine, it is preferable thatcontrols be incorporated in the motor circuits so that the screwconveyor, after a period of inactivity, will return to its uppermostposition, and so that the end partitions 34 and 36 will be in theirextended conditions. The inactive conveyor then will not be buriedunderneath a pile of freshly frozen ice particles and the capacity ofthe bin will be at a maximum. I have found in practice that a goodbalancing of results is attained if the controls for the motors are suchthat the screw conveyor remains in its position of last delivery forabout 20 minutes of inactivity. If 20 minutes have passed and no demandhas been made by the operator of the bin for delivery of ice particles,then the motor should be actuated in reverse so as to cause the conveyorto make its way upward. Thus ice coming into the machine from above willbe retained by the raised end partitions and the conveyor itself willnot be buried.

From the foregoing it will be seen that an ice storage bin constructionmade in accordance with the present invention is well adapted to attainthe ends and objects hereinbefore set forth and to be economicallymanufactured since the several parts and assemblies are well suited tocommon production methods and are susceptible to a wide latitude ofvariations as may be desirable in adapting the invention to differentapplications.

As various embodiments may be made of the above invention and as changesmight be made in the embodiment above set forth it is to be understoodthat all matter hereinbefore set forth or shown in the accompanyingdrawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limitingsense.

I claim:

1. A storage bin construction for storing a quantity of a product andfor delivering upon demand a continuous supply of the product taken fromupper portions of the stored quantity, said construction including: avertically disposed collapsible partition forming a wall of the bin, a

horizontally disposed conveyor assembly extending from said partitionand across the bin, a pair of conveyor supporting frames disposed one ateach end of the conveyor assembly and each lying in a planesubstantially normal to the axis of said conveyor' assembly, and a powerunit coupled to said conveyor assembly; each frame comprising a conveyortrack which defines a continuous path extending from a point near thetop of the bin and proceeding downwardly thereof back and forth acrosssaid frame, and said conveyor assembly being supported at each of itsends byr said tracks.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein said col- 'za-crasse i7 .-,lapsiblegpartition fis -esuspended :from said conveyor assembly.

3..-A storage I.bin .construction :for storing a quantity 4,oral-productandfor --delivering upon zdemand azcontinuous'supply of :the producttaken .fromnpper portions of the stored -quantity, said constructionincluding: a'pairwof vertically disfposed collapsible -partitions`forming opposite walls of the bin, a horizontally disposed conveyorassemblyextending ,between said ypartitions and r.across the bin,1a pairof conveyor ysupporting .framesrdisposedf one.-at ,eachendy of theconveyor assembly and each '.lyingin a:V plane substantially `nor-maltoA ther-axis .of-:said conveyor, and a power 4,unit `coupled to sa-idconveyor assembly; ,each -frameLcomprising'a conveyor track which denesa.continuous1path Vextending from a point near `theztpp of .theebin :andproceeding downwardly ithereof Vbackandforth across said frame, and.said conveyor assembly being supported at each :ofits :ends by saidtracks.

:4. .The inventionof claim SWherein: said col-.lapsiblewpartition:issuspended from said con- -veyor assembly.

5..A storage bin l construction for Vstoring a Yquantity `of alproductand for delivering upon `demand a continuous supplyofthe product taken-fromrupperjportionsof the stored quantity, said construction including:a horizontally disposed conveyor assembly extending across the bin, aro- `tatabledrive member .and a rotatable load-carrying .member'at each`end of the conveyor'assembly, fand a pair of .conveyor supportingframes .disposedfone-atf-eachzendof the conveyor assem- .bly and eachlying in avplanelsubstantially normal .to theiaxisof said conveyorassembly; each frame .comprising a conveyonrackand track arrangementwhichdenes -a continuous path extendingfroma point near thetop of saidframe and proceeding downwardly thereof back and forth across saidtrama-said drive members being engaged with the rack-and saidload-carrying members being-supportedby'thetrack of said rackl and l.track :arrangement Y6. -A storage bin construction for storing aquantity of a product and for delivering upon ,demanda continuous supplyofthe product taken from upper portionsoi the stored'quantity, said.constructioninclu-ding: a horizontally disposedconveyorshaft:extending. across the zbin, a screw conveyorrotatablycarried upon said shaftintermediate of .the ends of said shaft, arotatable drive member and a rotatable load-carrying member on each endof said conveyor shaft, apair of conveyor shaftesupportingframesdisposed one at each end of the conveyorshaft and each lying in-aplanesubstantially normal tothe axis of said shaft, andapower unit carriedupon said shaft; each framecomprising Va conveyor rack and trackarrangementwhich defines a continuous path extendingfrom a point nearthe top of said frame and proceeding downwardly thereofrbackand forthacross Ysaid frame, `said drive members beingengaged with the rack andsaid load-carrying members being supported by the track of said rack andtrack arrangement, and saidpower unit-incorporating a low speed drive tosaid shaft and a higher speed drive to said conveyor.

"1'. In a constructionof the character described, a frame, aload-supporting track for a rolling member mounted on the frame anddefining a continuous'path comprising a series 'of substantiallyhorizontal, Aparallelly-'disposed traverses acrossthe frame and` arcuatehalf-loops smoothly tially horizontal,

yjoining ,pairs of 7adjacent -.traverses, Ysaidrhalf Aloops beingpositioned ialternatelyone at one side ,of the traverses andthe next-.atthe otheriside said track through its traverses and around .the

half loops onone side of said frame.

V9. In a storage bin construction for storinga quantity of aproduct'andfor delivering lupondemand a .continuous supply'of the product takenfrom upper portions'of the stored quantity, the combination including: ahorizontally disposed conveyor shaft moya-bly supported at eachrof .itsends, va bearing andv pedestal assembly positioned upon the shaft, saidIshaft being rotatable within the bearing andsaid-bearing supporting thepedestal, a frame'carried upon the pedestal and overlying the shaft, Aatranslator bearing carried in the frame with its axis lyingv inea planenormal to the axis ofthe shaft, a translator beam disposed within thetranslator zbearing, said translator bearing being bodily movable alongsaid translator beamfand a partition Yassembly suspendedrfrom` endportions of said vtranslator beam and extending crosswisebelowsaid-shaft.

l0. The invention of claim 9 wherein saidpartition comprises a series ofimbricate plates.

11. In a storage bin-construction forl storing a quantity of a productand :for'delivering .upon demand a continuous supply of the producttaken from upper portions-of the stored quantity, `the combinationincluding: a pair of tracks disposed opposite each .other one `at each`sideof said bin, a horizontally disposedconveyor shaft movablysupportedat each of its ends upon said tracks, a bearing andpedestal.assemblyrpositioned upon the shaft, said shaft being rotatablewithin the bearing and-said bearing supporting the -.ped estal, a framecarried upon the .pedestal and overlying the shaft, a power unit mounted,on saidframe,- and apower drive coupling said unit to said shaft andsupplyingpower thereto.

Yl2..In a storage bin construction for-.storing a quantity of a productand for delivering-upon demand a continuous supply of the product takenfrom upper portions of the stored quantity,.the combination including:a-horizontally disposed conveyor shaft movably .supported at each. of;its ends, a bearing and pedestal assembly positioned upon the shaft,said shaftbeing rotatable within the bearing and said bearing supportingthe pedestal, a frame carried uponthepedestal and overlying the shaft, atranslator bearing carried in the frame with itsaxislyingin a planenormal to the axis of the shaft, a translator beam disposed within thetranslator bearing, said ranslator bearing being bodily movable alongsaidtranslator beam, a partition assembly suspended from end portionso1" said translator beam and extending crosswise below said shaft, apower unit mounted on said frame, and a power drive coupling-said unitto said shaftand supplying -power thereto.

13. In a storage bin construction for storing*` a quantity of a productand for delivering upon demanda continuous supply of the product takenfrom upper portions of the stored quantity, the

combination including: a pair of tracks disposed opposite each other oneat each side of said bin,

a horizontally disposed conveyor shaft movablyf supportedat each of itsends upon said tracks, y

a screw 'conveyor rotatably disposed upon said shaft, a bearing andpedestal assembly positioned upon the shaft, said shaft being rotatablewithin the bearing 'and said bearing supporting the pedestal, -fa framecarried upon the pedestal and overlying the shaft, a power unit mountedon said frame, a first power drive coupling said unit to said shaft forsupplying power thereto,

and a second power drive coupling said unit toV assemblies and saidbearings supporting the pedestal, a frame carried upon the pedestals andoverlying the shaft, a pair of translator bearings carried in the frameone at each end thereof with their axes lying in planes normal to theaxis of the shaft, a pair of translator beams disposed one within eachtranslator bearing, each translator bearing being bodily movable alongits translatorl beam, and a pair of partition assemblies suspended fromend portions of each translator beam and extending crosswise below saidshaft and parallel to each other.

` References Cited in the le 0f this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 753,719 Logan Mar. 1, 1904 892,593 Keller July '1, 1908894,618 Ferguson July 28, 1908 1,550,311 Foster Aug. 18, 1925 2,202,943Boardman June 4, 1940 2,445,056 Cordis July 13, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTSNumber Country Date 110,384 Germany Jan. 24, 1899

